2018 Retro Evening in the Stacks

Howard County Library System turns back the clock for a RETRO Evening in the Stacks on Saturday, February 24 from 7 to 11 pm that will set the perfect stage for Harvard Classics Professor Richard F. Thomas, celebrated author of the newly released book Why Bob Dylan Matters. Cited by The New York Times as having “the coolest class on campus,” Thomas’ wildly popular Dylan seminar—affectionately dubbed “Dylan 101,″ is introducing a new generation of fans and scholars to the revered bard’s work.

In his book, Thomas answers the question of why Bob Dylan matters with magisterial erudition. A world expert on Classical poetry, Thomas was initially ridiculed by his colleagues for teaching a course on Bob Dylan alongside his traditional seminars on Homer, Virgil, and Ovid. Dylan’s Nobel Prize brought him vindication, and he immediately found himself thrust into the spotlight as a leading academic voice in all matters Dylanological.

Thomas’ witty, personal volume is a distillation of his famous course, and it makes a compelling case for moving Dylan out of the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame and into the pantheon of Classical poets. Thomas offers an eloquent argument for Dylan’s modern relevance, while interpreting and decoding Dylan’s lyrics for readers, and asking them to reflect on the question, “What makes a classic?”, The most original and compelling volume on Dylan in decades, Why Bob Dylan Matters illuminates Dylan’s work for the Dylan neophyte and the seasoned fanatic alike.

The 2018 Retro Evening in the Stacks will provide the perfect backdrop for the Author Salon with Mr. Thomas as the event returns to its site of origin in the newly renovated HCLS East Columbia Branch located at 6600 Cradlerock Way in Columbia. Gala guests will be transported through the 50s, 60s, 70s and 80s with music, gourmet menus, cocktails and décor to match each decade. Pop icons and interactive activities of the times will help set the stage for Howard County’s premier fundraising gala.

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